Minister stresses that Italy’s Albania deal is ‘very, very different’ to Britain’s Rwanda arrangement

Sir Keir Starmer meets Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome today to discuss migration and what the UK can learn from Italy, where migrant numbers have fallen recently.

He has said he is “interested” in learning about an Italian plan to send people rescued at sea to Albania to process their asylum applications.

Sir Keir told Italian business leaders this morning that the new British government is taking “difficult decisions” on the economy early on to create the conditions for more foreign investment.

Speaking to business representatives at a breakfast meeting at Villa Wolkonsky, the home of the British ambassador to Italy in Rome, the prime minister said he wanted a “relationship with little friction in terms of business”, adding: “The relationship between Italy and the UK is a good, strong, historic relationship. We are very close allies, obviously partners in the G7, partners in NATO, very strong bilateral relationships.

“And I look forward to seeing the Prime Minister (Giorgia Meloni) later today.”

Sir Keir said the government’s “top priority” is growth and wealth creation, and that is “why we put so much emphasis on economic stability, and making sure we create conditions where you can be partners and invest.”

He added: “You are familiar with this in your businesses, if you want to transform a business, if you want to transform the business and you know there are difficult decisions to be made, it is better to make them early.”

Sir Keir said his government was “absolutely going to tackle issues like planning, which are holding back a lot of projects in the UK,” adding: “We want to make sure this is a low-friction relationship in terms of business.”